City profile · West Virginia · Census ACS 2023

Fairmont, WV

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Fairmont - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

18,303
Residents
$60,791
Median income
$159,100
Median home
$1,007
Median rent (state)

Fairmont - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Fairmont places in the 36th percentile for household income and the 36th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

36th
percentile, household income
30th
percentile, home value
20th
percentile, median rent
36th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Fairmont, WV

18,303 people live in Fairmont, West Virginia - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Fairmont households earn a median of $60,791 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 10.8%. Fairmont's housing stock carries a median value of $159,100, and the median resident age is 34.5 years. 31.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 60.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 1 residential building permits were authorized in Fairmont (Construction Slowdown), down 98% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1843.2 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, near the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 53.6°F with 47.8 inches of precipitation per year.

Living costs in West Virginia run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, West Virginia scores 89.5 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,007 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts West Virginia's average monthly utility costs around $220 (state average). Natural-hazard exposure scores 71.5 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

18,303 residents

Census ACS 2023 - West Virginia

Median Household Income

$60,791 /yr

Poverty 10.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

89.5 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, West Virginia average

How does Fairmont compare to other US cities?

Where Fairmont sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 36% higher than other cities
Home value 30% pricier than other cities
Median rent 20% pricier than other cities
Safety 36% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at West Virginia, Fairmont ranks #26 of 45 West Virginia cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Fairmont's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in West Virginia, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

36thIncome percentile
36thSafety percentile

36th percentile nationally for median household income · 36th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Fairmont's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Fairmont's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 49 Avg. percentile National median
Fairmont's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Fairmont's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$159,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 70% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Fairmont $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Fairmont, WV Fairmont, WV's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Fairmont, WV-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Fairmont, WV median $60,791/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Fairmont, WV's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Fairmont, WV. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 31.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 10.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
18,303
Median Income
$60,791
Median Home Value
$159,100
Median Age
34.5
Poverty Rate
10.8%
Labor force participation
60.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
31.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1843.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
520.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1322.9
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
53.6°F
Annual Precipitation
47.8"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
17,800 residents18,000 residents18,200 residents18,400 residents18,600 residents 202020212022202320242025 18,426 residents 18,035 residents ▼ -2.1%
Fairmont's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 42
2020 9
2021 4
2022 4
2023 0
2024 1

Permit volume decreased 98% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
71.8%
Carpool
10.4%
Public Transit
1.5%
Walk
4.7%
Work from Home
10.6%
Other
1.0%

Based on 9,061 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for West Virginia - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$72
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$38
avg/month
Total Utilities
$220
estimated/month

Estimates reflect West Virginia state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a West Virginia state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Fairmont sits in

Cost of Living Index
89.5
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,007/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
71.5 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in West Virginia

Weirton
18,785 people
Martinsburg
18,805 people
Beckley
16,977 people
Clarksburg
15,829 people
Teays Valley
13,961 people
South Charleston
13,594 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Fairmont's 18,303 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Niles, OH
18,301 people
Colonia, NJ
18,294 people
Lake Ronkonkoma, NY
18,289 people
Bayshore Gardens, FL
18,324 people
Lenoir, NC
18,282 people
East St. Louis, IL
18,278 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Fairmont's $60,791 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Yonah, GA
$60,791 median income
Lincoln, AL
$60,793 median income
Youngwood, PA
$60,795 median income
Marshville, NC
$60,784 median income
Fort Scott, KS
$60,799 median income
Olustee, OK
$60,776 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Fairmont, WV Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Fairmont, WV - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 85.4% 6.2% 6.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.0% White 85.4% Black or African American 6.2% Asian 0.5% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.3% Two or more races 6.5% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Fairmont compares to nearby West Virginia cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Fairmont (this city) 18,303 $60,791
Weirton 18,785 $56,699
Martinsburg 18,805 $54,590
Beckley 16,977 $39,939
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WV FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Fairmont, WV?

What is the population of Fairmont, WV? +

Fairmont, WV has a population of 18,303 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Fairmont, WV? +

Median annual household income in Fairmont runs $60,791, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Fairmont? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Fairmont; the closest available measure is the West Virginia state average, a cost of living index of 89.5 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within West Virginia vary by metro area.

Is Fairmont, WV safe? +

Fairmont has a total crime rate of 1843.2 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Fairmont, WV? +

A typical home in Fairmont is worth $159,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Fairmont? +

Fairmont has an average annual temperature of 53.6°F, 47.8 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

Verify with HUD →

Verify with FBI →

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau →

Verify with EPA →

Verify with FEMA →

Verify with BEA →

Verify with EIA →

Verify with NCES →

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.